Description

Bhaktapur, also known as Bhadgaon or Khwopa, is an ancient Newar town in the east corner of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. It is located in Bhakatpur District in the Bagmati Zone. It is the third largest city in Kathmandu Valley and was once the capital of Nepal during the great Malla Kingdom until the second half of the 15th century. Bhaktapur is famous for special type of curd called "Ju Ju dhau".It is experienced by the curd makers that the taste of curd prepared in this location cannot be found elsewhere all over Nepal.
It is the home of traditional art and architecture, historical monuments and craft works, magnificent windows, pottery and weaving industries, excellent temples, beautiful ponds, rich local customs, culture, religion, festivals, musical mystic and so on. Bhaktapur is still an untouched as well as preserved ancient city that is itself a world to explore for tourists. From time immemorial it lay on the trade route between Tibet and India. This position on the main caravan route made the town rich and prosperous.
Bhaktapur is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its rich culture, temples, and wood, metal and stone artwork.

Location

It is just 12 kilometers east of Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, but gives the feeling of prehistoric times given the ambiance of traditional homes, lifestyles and environment. The conch shaped historic city is spreading over just an area of 6.88 square kilometer at 1,401 meter altitude.

Climate

Climate factors are very important in deciding on a visit to Nepal. October-November, the start of the dry season, is in many ways the best time of the year in Nepal. With the monsoon only recently finished the country-side is green and lush and Nepal is at its most beautiful. Rice is harvested and there are some more important and colorful festivals to enjoy. At this time of the year the air is sparkling clean, visibility is unexcelled and the Himalayan views are as near perfect as you can ask. Furthermore the weather is still balmy, neither too hot nor too cold. For obvious reasons, this is also the peak tourist season.
In December-January the temperatures and visibility are still good, though it can get very cold. Trekkers need to be well prepared, as snow can be encountered on high-altitude treks. Heading for the Everest Base Camp at this time of the year can be a real feat of endurance and the Annapurna Circuit trek is often closed by snow on the Thorang La pass. Down in Kathmandu the cheaper hotels, where heating is non-existent, are often chilly and gloomy in the evenings. There''''s sometimes a brief winter monsoon, lasting just a day or two in January.
February-March-April, the tail end of the dry season, is good second-best time. The weather gets warmer so high-altitude treks are no longer as arduous, although by the end of the dry season, before the monsoon breaks, it starts to get too hot for comfort. Visibility is not good as earlier in the dry season since the country is now very dry, and dust in the air reduces that crystal Himalayan clarity. In compensation, Nepal''''s wonderful rhododendrons and many other flowers are in bloom so there''''s plenty of color to be seen along the trekking trails.
May and the early part of June are not the best months as it is extremely hot and dusty and the coming monsoon hangs over you like a threat. Mid-June to September, when the monsoon finally arrives, is the least popular time to visit Nepal. The rains wash the dust out the air, but the clouds obscure the mountains so you''''re unlikely to enjoy more than a rare glimpse of Himalaya. Although it doesn''''t rain all day it usually does rain everyday and the trails will be muddy and plagued by leeches. Despite this, it is possible to trek during the monsoon, although high rivers may further complicate matters and it''''s certainly not as pleasant as other times of the year. Landslides sometimes block roads during the monsoon but many visitors still come to Nepal form India as the weather is even less pleasant down on the plains. The latter part of the monsoon, the months of August-September, are a time of festivals which will certainly enliven a visit to Nepal.

The key attractions of this place are The Lion Gate, he Golden Gate, the statute of King Bhupatendra Malla, 55 windows Palace (Built in 1700 AD), Nyatapola temple (Built in 1702 AD), Dattatraya temple (Built in 1427 AD), Bhairabnath temple (Built in 1718A AD) etc. It was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Monuments in 1979.

This is a wooden temple facing west. It is believed that the timber used for its relevant construction was sawed out of a single tree. So you can imagine how big the tree must have been. The square has been nomenclatured from the name of the Deity itself. The three-storied temple is dedicated to the three-headed Deity of the orthodox Hindus. It symbolizes the divine triad, a mere combination of Brahma (the Creator), Bishnu (the Preserver) and Maheshwor (the Destroyer). The square as a whole can be regarded as a marvelous gallery of intricate wood carvings.

This five storied Pagoda Style temple was built by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1708 A.D. well known for its massive structure and subtle workmanship. It is the tallest pagoda structure in the Kathmandu valley.